Take Your Cat To The Vet Day 2024 is on Thursday, August 22, 2024: Should i take my cat to the vet?

Thursday, August 22, 2024 is Take Your Cat To The Vet Day 2024. 208-773-6000 Archives “Take Your Cat to the Vet”

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Yes, the cat needs a vet. Any time a pets behavior changes it is a sign something has gone wrong. Yep, vet

Indoor vs outdoor cat

For me that is a no brainer. Indoor cats as a rule

are healthier and live longer. Depending on breed

and care (nutrition, vet care) an indoor cat can

live into it's 20's. An outdoor cat averages between

2 to 6 years.

When a cat lives indoors and does not feel well

you are more apt to notice as you see the cat all the

time. Living outdoors, I've known of people that did

not see their "beloved" cat for days at a time. Indoor

cats are more likely to get vet care when needed. That

is if their owner is the type that will get vet care for an

ill pet.

Outdoor cats have a lot of things against them. They

often get hit by cars. They get poisoned (or shot) by

neighbors that do not want your pet defecating in

their yard or garden, or killing the songbirds they

feed to attract. Outdoor cats are more at risk for parasites

and diseases. Feline leukemia is a common disease that

is passed by saliva. A bite, Even a lick by an infected cat

and yours could well contract the disease. Feline

Immunodeficiency Virus is passed by blood and there

is no cure. If your cat gets in a fight with or licks the

wound of an infected cat it is a death sentence. They

are at risk of being attacked by free roaming animals.

They are at risk of being stolen. They are at risk of

injuries, abscesses form fighting. Outdoor cats are more

likely to eat mice or even rats that have diseases dangerous

to cats. Cats are stolen to be used as bait for unscrupulous

people training their dog to fight. They are at risk of being

abused by, well, people who like to abuse animals. It

happens. Also, they get picked up by animal control.

They get stolen by what is called Bunchers, people who

pick up animals to sell to labs.

Cats kept indoors live safer lives and the lives can be

happy ones. Make sure your cat gets plenty of attention.

Indoor cats can get enough exorcise. Toys, cat condos,

scratching posts and of course their human playing with

them. Windows for basking in the sun and watching the

birds and squirrels out side. Provide toys. Keep their litter

clean. I stress that because cats are fairly clean animals

and some just will not use a dirty box. Cats love to hide,

provide a good cat condo. They will often enjoy a

cardboard box, both to hide in and destroy if the mood

hits them. They love shredding stuff and cardboard shreds

so well. While on the subject. Do not declaw your cat!

That has ruined many a cat. They can be trained to use a

scratching post!

Outdoor cats that have not been spayed/neutered are

contributing to the gross overpopulation problem.

Millions of cats are euthanized each year because there

are too many born to get homes. That's just the ones in

shelters! According to Wiki Answers there are 70 million

feral cats in the USA. According to the Humane Society

of the United States there are 50 million. Either way, or

somewhere in between, that is a lot of feral cats out there.

Cats that are starving, getting hit by cars and spreading

diseases to your outdoor cat. We need to spay/neuter our

pets! We need to keep our cats indoors!

People have argued with me that outdoor cats are

happier and that makes up for a shorter life span. Hmmm.

I have but one thing to say about that. I have had to shovel

up several dead cats out of the ally behind us over the years.

Not even one of them looked happy.

Indoor vs outdoor cat? No contest!

Help! Any vets out there? My cat has been ill for 3 days.?

No access to a regular vet?

I sure hope your cat is not suffering from FIP. You need to find a vet and bring you cat in asap. 3 days is a long time for a cat to be so ill. It could be anything... hyperthyroidism, liver disease, diabetes, kidney disease, inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, toxoplasmosis, etc!!

This cat needs a vet and fast.

My Cat has diarrhea and my vet isn't open for 2 more days. What do I do?

Call your vet's office and listen to the answering machine message all the way through. Many vets somewhere on the message will give a number for emergencies or will give the location and number for the nearest 24 hour vet. If so you could phone and ask for suggestions.

If it just goes on a day he will probably be OK.. I would just withhold food for about 24 hours and hopefully whatever the problem is, he will get it out of his system. Then when you start feeding him again start with something bland like boiled chicken & a little rice mixed together and feed in small meals. If he will tolerate it, you can try adding a little warm water to the food.

. Adding some metamucil can also help firm up the stools. Then try adding a spoon of plain yoghurt with "live active cultures".

.

Here is an article that explains the different causes and treatment, and tells what signs would mean you really do have to get him to a vet sooner.

Re Dehydration: If you take a pinch of skin on his back, pull it up and let go and it doesn't snap back into place within a second, that is a sign of dehydration. If you have an oral syringe or even eye dropper you can try syringing some water into his mouth. If it is taking more than 2 or 3 seconds for the skin to settle back into place, I would really try to get him to an emergency vet so they could give him some fluids. Hopefully this won't happen and if he gets just slightly dehydrated today he can overcome it on his own as he gets to feeling better.